Lesson plan:

View The Beast

Watch the complete episode. After viewing ask students to identify the three storylines in the episode. They are: Mike's search for a horse of his own; tracking the feral cat; the ongoing conflict between Mike and his father.

Analyse the multiple plots

Have students design a line graph representing each story from the beginning to the end. Ask them to make a special note of where the stories intersect with each other. On completion of the task set these questions:

• Which story does not have a resolution?
• Why is this story left unfinished? How might this story be resolved. (See episode Long Distance Call for the resolution)
• Why did the writers construct the story in such a way that the feral cat was found in Jack's barn?

Analyse the symbolism

In many ways this is a particularly Australian story. Ask students to identify the aspects of the visuals and the narrative that give it an Australian flavour. (Apart from the obvious iconography such as the wombat and the koala there are more subtle narrative hints. For example leaving Maggie on watch is only possible in the story because Australia has no dangerous wild animals.) Look also at the character of Jack. She is constructed as the female version of the Australian bloke. Ask students to identify those aspects of her appearance and character that are typically seen as Australian. Ask the students to suggest some reasons why the producers made her a female instead of male.

Analyse the techniques used to create suspense

Replay the barn scene. This scene is one of suspense. Examine how the suspense is created through the:

• camera work - use of a hand held camera, point of view shots, use of wide angle close-ups (children's faces, horse's head), low angles of the horse rearing.
• lighting - dark, blue tinted lighting, strong shadows
• sound effects - music, horse whinnying.

Explore the issues

The episode raises issues about wildlife conservation. Discuss the issues raised about feral cats (domestic cats which have gone wild), and related issues such as domestic cats which kill birds, unsecured dogs and cats, introduced animals such as foxes and rabbits. Have the students write a "letter to the editor" expressing their opinion on one or more of the following issues:

• that all domestic cats should wear bells
• that the licensing and spaying of cats be mandatory
• that local councils should have the power to destroy unsecured animals
• that pets should/should not be kept in the metropolitan area.

Remind them that the letter to the editor should:

• state the issue briefly
• present their personal point of view
• give some supporting evidence for that point of view
• make a call for action.